Dalton Smith Wants Shakur Stevenson at Hillsborough in Unification Clash

Dalton Smith just got through the toughest night of his career, and he's already angling for the biggest one. The unbeaten Sheffield man, now 19-0 with 14 knockouts, retained his WBC super-lightweight title with a split-decision win over Alberto Puello on Saturday, then immediately called out WBO champion Shakur Stevenson for a unification fight — and he wants it at Hillsborough Stadium, home of his hometown club Sheffield Wednesday.

The pitch comes with a built-in sales hook. Smith likened the potential matchup to Floyd Mayweather vs Ricky Hatton in 2007, when British fans flooded Las Vegas to watch the Hitman challenge one of the sport's pound-for-pound best. Hatton lost in the 10th round, but the atmosphere became legend. Smith, 29, framed the Stevenson fight as a chance to build something in that mold — only this time on home soil.

The Case for Smith

Smith earned his spot at the table the hard way. Earlier this year he traveled to beat Subriel Matías and took the WBC belt with a fifth-round stoppage, a genuine statement on away ground. Saturday's defense was uglier. Puello, now 25-1 with just 11 KOs, is a notoriously awkward operator, and the split decision drew its share of grumbling. Smith acknowledged the fight wasn't a spectacle but argued that handling the best in the world is exactly what proves he belongs at number one.

Why Stevenson Might Bite

The timing is interesting because Stevenson is a free agent. The 25-0 WBO champ parted ways with Dana White's Zuffa Boxing, which means he's no longer tied to a single promotional lane and could chase whatever makes the most sense — money, legacy, or a marquee stage. A packed British stadium against an unbeaten domestic champion checks a lot of those boxes.

Stylistically it's a puzzle. Stevenson is one of the most technically clean fighters in the division, though his modest 11 knockouts in 25 wins — the same KO figure Puello carries — tells you he wins on skill and control more than power. His last outing was a unanimous-decision win over Teofimo Lopez. Smith, by contrast, finishes people: 14 stoppages in 19 fights.

Smith was quick to pay respect, calling Stevenson one hell of a fighter while making it clear he fancies the challenge. Whether Stevenson agrees to walk into a hostile Sheffield crowd is another matter. But two unbeaten champions with belts to unify, one of them a free agent, is the kind of fight that tends to find a way to happen.